Penumbra
by AWildeRomantic
Summary: Sometimes pleas for help are best left unanswered. Some dreams should only be dreamed when you're asleep. And when a man feared even by the Empire tells you to run, you should run.
1. Into the Shadow

Chapter 1: Into the Shadow

_A dead electric sound hummed in the darkness around her. Something scritching its way down the hall outside the door, and she didn't know why, but Leia closed her eyes and willed it to keep going._

_When she opened them again, though it was hard to tell in the darkness, she thought she saw a light some meters away. Leia got to her feet and walked towards it. She realized with a shock then that it was not a light, but a face, a man's face with blank eyes and a wicked smile._

"_My name is Vertas Shaduk and I want to play a game. It's time to run, Princess!" He lunged at her, long bony fingers reaching out..._

* * *

><p>Leia awoke with a gasp to find the soft violet glow of a distant nebula filtering into her sleeping quarters aboard the <em>Millennium Falcon<em>. She put a hand to her chest and could feel her heart pounding, but the memory of what had caused her to awaken so abruptly, and to feel so panicked, slipped out before she could grasp it. Instead all she was left with was the pulsing anxiety that followed a nightmare.

She got to her feet and pulled on her robe before slipping out into the hall. Padding quietly into the cockpit she paused for a moment. By the shine of starlight and the yellow glow of the controls she could see Han in the captain's seat, his feet propped up, though she could tell by his breathing that he was awake.

Leia walked over and trailed her hand lightly against his shoulders. Han jumped, then sheepishly put his feet down.

He raised his eyebrows when she moved to set herself lightly on his lap. "Well, hello your highness. Couldn't sleep?"

Leia leaned her head against his shoulder. She didn't particularly want to give him the satisfaction of knowing she'd come in here because of a bad dream. "How long until we reach Xas?"

"Another hour. We just dropped out of light speed. The angle we're coming in at makes it easier to just crawl in the last bit." He wrapped one arm around her and used the other to point out the window.

Leia turned her head. Far ahead of them she could make out the thin sliver of a sun partially obscured by something. And squinting, she could see the dark disk of the planet Xas. Straightening a little, Leia took a deep breath. "I should get dressed."

"Yeah." Han peered at her. "You sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine." Leia smiled, then kissed his cheek and reluctantly slipped off his lap. "I'm going to make sure Luke and Chewie are awake."

* * *

><p>The Ayl'xasians were humanoid enough, their blue-grey skin covered in a soft sort of fuzz. Perhaps the most disconcerting thing about them was that on close inspection one could see the long tendrils coming off of their heads were not twisted locks of hair, but extremely dexterous tentacles that moved to accentuate facial expressions and occasionally to express gestures of affection or anger.<p>

Personality wise Han found them nice enough, if a bit cool and withdrawn. But for a species that was as obsessed with security and defense as they were, he figured that sort of behavior was to be expected.

As delicate as the slender beings were, their architecture was the exact opposite. Most of the buildings seemed to be randomly placed slabs of stone and concrete, brutal, plain, practical, with windows in neat rows along the sides.

"Councilor Organa," one of the Ayl'xasians who identified himself as Shemto said, greeting the group with a bow to each one in turn. They stood on a huge sloping ramp outside one of the main buildings. "In Unity's name, we welcome you to our planet." Shemto's grasp of Basic was superb, traced through with harmonic notes that were part of the Ayl'xasian native language.

"We're honored that you would have us," Leia replied. "I hope this will be the beginning of a lasting friendship between our people."

Shemto nodded rather icily and motioned for them to follow him up the ramp into the building. "Yes, well, as I am sure you are aware, we generally try to stay out of galactic politics."

Leia turned and exchanged a glance with Han, but pursed her lips as they followed Shemto into the vast foyer of the building.

"We are in the shadow time of our planet," Shemto explained. "This will last for several weeks, and can be difficult for off-worlders to adjust to. You may have the rest of the night to relax after your journey and we will begin talks in the morning." His navy blue eyes focused on Leia's. "The borders of the city are marked with steel pylons. Do not try to go beyond them, though there are other buildings out there."

Han frowned, not sure if Shemto was making a threat, or merely a warning. At that moment two more Ayl'xasians appeared, beckoning for them to follow up a flight of stairs to the living quarters. To Han's relief they were put in a suite of rooms, with a common bathroom and large sitting area that had tall windows looking out to the mountains beyond the city.

An hour or so later a rather nice assortment of food was brought up, and they all sat around to eat. Han looked up from the pieces of fruit he had loaded onto his plate and frowned. "Does any one else get the feeling like there's something off here?" He directed the question particularly towards Luke.

"They're hiding something," Luke said with a shrug. "I can tell that much for sure."

Han grunted. Luke was one to talk. Judging by the looks he kept exchanging with Leia, they were picking up on something they weren't about to let everyone else in on.

* * *

><p>After dinner Leia stood in her room. She had changed into light pajamas, and was attempting to collect her thoughts for the negotiations the next day. The Ayl'xasians had defensive technology that could solidify the growing Alliance beyond anything they could have hoped. Even if the aliens were reluctant to involve themselves in politics, there had to be some sort of deal they could strike with them.<p>

Someone touched her arm. Leia spun around, instantly berating herself for letting anyone sneak up on her, even if it was just Han.

"Eesh, sorry." He gave her a lopsided grin and sat on the end of her bed.

Leia folded her arms over her chest. "What?"

"What were you and Luke thinking earlier? When I asked if anything was wrong."

"He's been on edge since we landed," she said, shrugging. "I was trying to chalk it up to a strange culture, but he keeps acting like there's some big disturbance in the Force." She snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Sibling rivalry already?" Han asked, the corner of his mouth quirking in a light smile.

"He's taking this whole Jedi thing too seriously," Leia said. Her tone was still bitter, but she could feel herself starting to relax a little. "Sometimes things go wrong and have nothing to do with the Force."

Han stood, smiling, moving to lightly put his hands on her arms. "I think you're jealous."

"Jealous because I don't go around feeling disturbances in the Force all the time?"

"I'll show you a disturbance," he said, grinning.

Leia shrieked when Han swooped her up and dropped them both back on the bed with a _fwump_. "What are you doing?" she tried to sound furious, but the effect was ruined by a strangled laugh when Han tickled her side.

"Trying to get you to relax a bit, princess," he said. "You're complaining about Luke being too gloomy, have you ever listened to yourself?"

Leia hit his shoulder. "I am not!"

"You're as stuffy as Councilor Drena sometimes."

"Han!" Leia made a face and attempted to wriggle away, but his arms were firmly wrapped around her waist. "At least I'm not insufferably crude and bad-mannered. Coming into a lady's room and everything..."

"Like I said, stuffy." Han rolled them over. He pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth before he got up. "Sweet dreams, Madam Councilor Princess Leia Skywalker Organa."

She propped herself up on her elbows to watch him go. "Try not to let the door hit you on the way out, bantha brain!"

"Hey!" Han's face poked around the edge of the door. "Don't make me come back in there."

Leia waited until he had left before letting out a soft laugh.

* * *

><p>Luke awoke in a cold sweat, at first unsure why. He sat bolt upright, hand feeling beneath his pillow for his lightsaber, at the same time reaching out with his mind to the room next to him. He touched his sister's mind, sleeping, undisturbed, and the presences of Han and Chewie. Everyone was alright, everything was silent, so why had his sleep come to such an abrupt end?<p>

Like water through a filter the dream started trickling back into his mind in little drops and splashes. Long hallways. Leia running from something. A man's face. A man's face he did not recognize laughing. And another face, something white and eyeless staring at him out of the dark.

He jumped, swinging out with the Force to turn all the lights in the room on with such urgency that the lamp on the bedside scooted dangerously close to the edge.

_Stop it._ Luke told himself. _You're being ridiculous. _

Standing, he pulled on his robe from where it was draped over the back of a chair. On good measure he also grabbed his lightsaber before slipping out of the room and crossing the darkened common area, hoping not to attract the attention of Threepio or Artoo. He had almost made it when a door behind him slid open.

"Luke?"

He turned, realizing the droids must be powered down for the night. "Leia, go back to sleep. I'm fine, I just need to go for a walk."

"I'm coming with," Leia whispered, moving to his side and taking his arm as they stepped out of their quarters. In the hall she raised her eyebrows at him. "What happened?"

"Bad dreams, it's nothing." He offered her his arm. They followed the passage to a door that led out onto a covered balcony stretching the length of the building. Outside the night was cool and still, but Luke could feel a lingering anxiety from the dream like a bad taste on the air.

"Luke, what is it? I can tell something's bothering you."

"Show off," Luke said, forcing a laugh.

Leia made a face. "No, you're just squeezing my arm."

"Oh...I guess…" He let out a little laugh at the phrase that seemed to have been their unofficial mantra for the past few years, "I just have a bad feeling about this."

"Right…" She ducked her head, smiling as well. They came to the end of the balcony and went in through another door, finding themselves in a vaulting library. Leia let out a soft breath.

Luke looked around and smiled, then with a flick of his wrist turned the rows of reading lamps on, filling the space with a soft, comforting glow. Here, among the dim light and the smell of old books and papers, it was easy to forget the uncomfortable feeling the dream had left him with. Leia went to curl up on he end of a couch while Luke examined the books on the shelves.

"I always wanted a sibling you know," he said, trailing his hand along dusty spines and the ends of scrolls.

"Me too."

"At least you had Winter. And a whole palace of people. Most of the time it was just me, my aunt and uncle."

Leia laughed. "Don't let Han catch you talking like that."

"What?" Luke said, distracted as he came to a stop. A strange tingling sensation was running along his skin, growing stronger when he reached for a small book just at his eye level. He walked back to the couch and shook his head. "Did he say something?"

"Just that you're a bit on the gloomy side. Then he accused me of the same thing."

Luke opened the book. It seemed to be a diary of some sort, handwritten in neat, curving Ayl'xasian letters. "Is that what you two were shrieking about earlier?"

"Luke!" She scowled and nudged her shoulder against his. "What are we looking at?"

"No idea."

Leia craned her neck to look at the pages, tracing her finger under the letters. "I only know a few Ayl'xasian words…"

He continued flipping through the pages, more intrigued by the beauty of the script and the occasional small illustrations than anything. After a bit he glanced up and saw that Leia was watching him. "What?"

"What was the dream about?"

"Leia…" he let out a long sigh. "Just the usual things."

"Wait…" Leia grabbed his wrist, because the script had suddenly turned to Basic. She tipped her head curiously to the side, making Luke hold the book closer to the light to see:

_As expected, going into the capital was a mistake. Was chased out by guards. So much for political neutrality, the Ayl'xasians cannot stand an enemy of the Empire such as myself, even in these days when the Empire is not the biggest ship in the fleet. Well. I see where their loyalties lie. Strangers beware!_

_I have an idea. I will disguise this journal and get it into the capital somehow. If some non-Ayl'xasian should come across it - You, reader, I am hoping - they may be able to help me. Yes. Yes that would be good. My name is Vertas Shaduk. I am a humble scientist. I am an enemy of the Empire. I live only a few kilometers outside of the city. I am in need of help._

Leia blinked in surprise at her brother. "What the…"

"It's dated from only a few months ago," Luke said, flipping back to the beginning of the pages in Basic.

"I don't know how much I trust it," Leia said. "There's been no evidence that the Ayl'xasians support the Empire." She recognized the look on Luke's face and groaned. "No."

"What?"

"You want to go find this man and help him. Luke…" She shut the book and fixed him with a frown. "These talks with the Ayl'xasians could be the key to the New Republic having the resources to defend itself."

"And if it turns out the Ayl'xasians are in league with the Empire?"

Leia was silent, and Luke could tell she was weighing the risks in her mind, looking at this logically. Finally she sighed. "Let me ask them about this first," she said, taking the book.

Luke bit his lip and nodded, deciding not to argue. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong.


	2. Another Side

Chapter 2: Another Side

"Where did you find this?" Shemto asked, touching the small book with one hand as he lifted a piece of pale yellow fruit to his mouth with the other.

"The library near our rooms," Leia said. Something in the Ayl'xasian's tone made her instantly stiffen. "I assume that if we weren't supposed to be in there your security wouldn't have allowed it."

His eye flicked to hers for a moment, the tentacles on his head rippling uneasily. "We do not mind that you were in there, Councilor Organa. It is this book that should not have been."

"Who is he? Vertas Shaduk?"

"Someone who does not concern you." Shemto motioned over one of the Ayl'xasian guards from the door and handed him the book, murmuring something that Leia couldn't understand. The guard took the diary and left. Shemto turned back to Leia, his tentacles now fanning out in a more relaxed expression. "Now, I had the opportunity to speak with those in charge of our defensive technologies if you would care to hear what they had to say."

Leia took a deep breath. She knew she couldn't afford to be distracted from the real reason they had come to Xas. If anything she didn't want to look like a hypocrite after what she had told Luke the night before. "Yes?"

"They will be willing to discuss some sort of...trade, of knowledge, at least. Though they will be more comfortable speaking with your brother."

"I...what?" Leia blinked. "He's not…"

"He is a Jedi knight. Our defensive leaders merely would be more comfortable conferring with a fellow warrior."

Her brow furrowed. "All of us who came here today fought the Empire."

"It is their request, not mine," Shemto said with a slight shrug as he leaned over to load more fruit onto his plate from the bowl in the center of the table. "If you ask me it could be that Ta'ali merely desires an excuse to fawn over a real Jedi."

"Well, I'll have to talk with Luke about it first," Leia said. She looked at Shemto out of the corner of her eye and attempted to reach out with the Force to sense for any bad intentions. Nothing. She slowly got to her feet.

"A word of advice, Councilor." Shemto said without looking up. "The Alliance may do well not to show its _desperation_ so readily."

Leia felt an involuntary sneer cross her face that Shemto luckily did not notice. "Excuse me?"

"Sending someone so important as yourself to deal with a matter of defensive technologies?" Shemto's whole form stiffened in a rather proud look. "I can only assume that your first contact with Obroa-skai was not as successful as you had hoped. You are, what is it you say? Grasping at straws."

"We're reaching out with a hand of friendship," Leia said, stiffening as well, "in the hopes of a relationship that would benefit both parties. We are not the Empire."

"That does not mean you will not fall prey to the same consequences they did."

She pursed her lips. "I'll go speak with my brother."

* * *

><p>"Okay, sweetheart, gonna tell us what's got your panties in a twist?" Han said, raising his eyebrows when Leia walked out of her room, tucking a blaster into the holster hidden beneath her jacket. Luke had, warily, gone to speak with the defensive commander, taking Threepio with him.<p>

"My father always said that when all else fails, there's nothing wrong with trusting your gut instinct," Leia said. "And frankly I don't like what mine is telling me. That book Luke and I found, combined with the fact that Shemto keeps making these thinly veiled threats…"

Han raised his eyebrows, hoping she was referring to Bail Organa and not, well, the _other_ father. He nodded however and caught his jacket when Leia tossed it to him. "So where are we going while Luke talks to his latest fan girl?" The female Ayl'xasian named Ta'ali had come to get Luke herself, and while Shemto had been all prim and proper behavior, Ta'ali had been practically bouncing with excitement.

"There's something I want to check out," Leia said.

The doors to their rooms slid open and Chewbacca entered with R2-D2, who trundled over to Leia.

"And what have you been doing?" Han asked the wookie, folding his arms and trying to look stern.

Chewie let out an undulating little growl. _An errand for the princess._

Han snorted. "She's got everyone wrapped around her little finger."

The response was an amused _urf-urf-urf_ sound followed by a slap on the shoulder and a slightly louder noise. _You more than anyone else, cub._

"Hah! Right."

Leia was looking at him with raised eyebrows, holding the data chip she had just taken from Artoo. She shook her head and sat down, inserting the chip into her tablet. "Chewie, I need you and Artoo to stay here. Han...come with me."

"Where, exactly?" he said, but she was already halfway out the door and Han had to run to catch up with her. "Leia!"

"Sorry…" she waited for a moment in the hall and grabbed his arm before continuing at a brisk pace. "I just want to slip out before Shemto realizes what we're up to."

"Which is what exactly…?" They got in a lift that took them down to the ground level of the building, but Leia steered Han away from the main entrance and instead to a back way that may have at one point been a servant's exit or something.

That little door led them into a back alley. With the data tablet under her arm, Leia led the way through twisting, narrow streets, and Han could only hope she knew what she was doing. Finally they came to a tall, silvery pylon that seemed out of place among the stony Ayl'xasian architecture.

"Let me guess," Han said as they drew to a stop. "This is the exact thing that Shemto told us _not_ to go past."

Leia turned to look at him with a light, if worried, smile. "There's just something I ned to investigate."

"Your rebel and senatorial sides at war again?" Han asked, reaching out to put a hand on her lower back. The steel pylon marked an abrupt change in the city, beyond it the buildings looked dead and abandoned, and the only things moving that Han could see seemed to be slinking from shadow to shadow.

Leia squared her shoulders and started forward, pulling Han along behind her.

* * *

><p>"Ta'ali would like to know where Princess Leia and Captain Solo went," Threepio translated as the three of them entered an empty conference room and Ta'alia closed the door behind them.<p>

Luke frowned, tipping his head to the side as he gazed at the slender Ayl'xasian curiously. She hummed and sang another question.

"She would like to know if they went after Vertas Shaduk."

"I don't know where they went," Luke said carefully. He sensed genuine concern coming from the soft-faced alien, and somehow wasn't surprised when she reached out to brush his hand, still murmuring worriedly. "Threepio?"

"He is very dangerous, she says."

"Because he's against the Empire?" Luke asked, raising his eyebrow.

But Ta'ali shook her head, her tentacles swaying from side to side in agitation.

"Shaduk was exiled here by the Empire, the Ayl'xasians avoid him because of his work. Mistress Leia and Captain Solo will be in grave danger if they should encounter him."

Luke was suddenly reminded of the dream and his concern grew. He knew that Han and Leia could take care of themselves, but he also knew better than to underestimate the power of one man. Especially one that the Empire had felt was dangerous enough to warrant exile. "I should go after them."

Ta'ali shook her head again, and Threepio hurried to translate for her, "She says that would only attract the attention of Shemto and other like minded Ayl'xasians," he said. "Which could be just as disastrous."

"Right…" Luke sighed and moved to the windows, wishing Leia had at least given him the chance to come with her.

* * *

><p>Leia pressed her hand against the worn metal door. The floor of the building was completely covered in thick dust, but a path of footprints lead from the main door to this one, which looked to be the only one that had been opened recently. And if the information Artoo had gotten from the main computer system was right, then this was where Vertus Shaduk was living out his exile. She knocked on the door, which rang with a heavy metallic sound.<p>

"Maybe there's no one home," Han muttered. The words had no sooner left his lips however then the door swung open and a seemingly regular looking, older human male stood there, peering at them. Han blinked. "Uhh, hi."

"You are not Ayl'xasian," the man said.

"No," Leia said in her calmest tone. "I am Councilor Leia Organa of the New Republic, and this is Han Solo. We came here on a diplomatic mission and - "

"You read my journal."

She glanced at Han, then back at the man. "You're Vertas Shaduk?"

"Yes. You have come to find me...please…" He turned, motioning for them to follow him.

Han shot Leia a look that she could tell clearly meant he thought this was a bad idea. They had come this far, however, and so Leia stepped through the door after Shaduk. He led them down a small hall and into a living area, neat, practical, and certainly more homely than any of the Ayl'xasian quarters.

Leia looked around, and remained standing even when Shaduk offered them seats. There was something about Shaduk that triggered a vague sense of deja vu in her, but she couldn't place from where exactly. "You said in your journal that the Ayl'xasians are not friendly to enemies of the Empire?"

"The Empire made me their enemy!" Shaduk said, shaking his head. "Their own fault, yes. I believe I frightened them."

Han chuckled. "Well good for you, old timer."

Shaduk looked at him, blinking for a moment before he too laughed. "Yes, yes, very old, studying for a very long time. But I have no one to help me now, and my place of exile has even exiled me. How funny!"

"What do you need help with?" Leia asked, slowing her tone as she began to wonder just how sane the old man was.

Shaduk gestured to a door on the other side of his rooms. "Through there."

Giving Han a reassuring look, Leia allowed the old man to lead her over to the door, which he opened with a little bit of difficulty. He took a flashlight off a hook on the wall and handed it to her, then nudged her through the door.

"Leia-!"

But she didn't need Han's worried shout to know that something was wrong. Turning, Leia found that Shaduk had suddenly straightened, no longer looking like a feeble old man, instead blocking her way, his icy blue eyes boring into hers.

"You're going to want to run, Princess, when the time comes," he said. "But that won't do you any good." Laughing softly, he shoved her back with surprising strength and slammed the door shut.

"Han!" Leia shouted, grabbing at the door as it closed. She found no knob or handle on the inside, and the thick metal door would not give way. In frustration she kicked it, then turned around to examine the room she was in.

Except it wasn't a room. Leia switched on the flashlight Shaduk had given her and held it up, realizing that she stood instead at the top of a dark, windowless staircase descending down into shadows. And from somewhere below her she could hear something breathing.


	3. Madness

Chapter 3: Madness

Han took a full ten seconds to realize he was not okay with this situation.

"Now hold up a minute!" he said, leaping to his feet, blaster in hand. The old man still stood by the door, chuckling softly to himself. "Open that door!"

"Can't do that, I'm afraid, Captain Solo," Shaduk said, turning. "The princess is on her own."

Not liking the sound of that, Han shoved Shaduk out of the way and grabbed at the handle of the door. He tugged, but it didn't budge. "Open it!" he snapped, spinning around and waving the blaster in Shaduk's face.

"The experiment is not finished yet," Shaduk said.

"Experiment my ass, open the door!" Han didn't really want to shoot the guy unless he knew for sure that Shaduk had hurt Leia. Years ago he might have, but going _legit_ as Lando liked to say put him in a different mindset. Han pulled out his radio. "Chewie, we got a problem!"

A concerned growf answered.

"He's done something to the princess."

Chewie snarled. _Need me to rip his arms off?_

"Not yet, pal," Han said grimly. Keeping his eyes on Shaduk, and making sure the man knew Han's blaster was still in easy reach, he turned on the data pad that Leia had brought. "Artoo should be able to figure out our position from the tracker in Leia's tablet. Bring Luke."

Chewbacca _urfed_ an affirmative and Han switched the radio over for his blaster again.

"Luke…" Shaduk said thoughtfully. "The Jedi Luke Skywalker?"

Han curled his lip. "The Luke whose sister you just locked in there. My advice would be to get her out before he gets here. Or before I get even more pissed off and decide to shoot you."

But Shaduk just laughed to himself and sat down on the cot in one corner.

It took the others less time than Han had expected to reach Shaduk's home. Chewie burst in and looked around before asking Han why he hadn't shot Shaduk yet. Shaking his shaggy head, the wookiee took over the duty of guarding the strange old man.

Luke, keeping up with his usual infuriatingly calm demeanor, walked over to put his hand against the door. "She's in there, alright, but there's something else. Something cold and...dark."

"Yes, yes," Shaduk said abruptly. "Experiment 087."

Han ignored him. "Luke, can you get the door open or not?"

"I should be able to." Luke took a few steps back. A sudden shout from the other side of the door, somewhere very far away made him stiffen. He squared his shoulders and held out both hands, face darkening in concentration. The door gave a little tremor, then a larger one, and then with a loud bang and screech buckled inwards and went flying off its hinges.

Han didn't wait for the all-clear. He charged through the door, and even ran down the first flight of steps to a landing before actually stopping to see where he was. Something wasn't right. At first glance it just looked like an ordinary stairwell turning down into darkness, the railings a bit rusty, the walls a bit...well, they smelled like something a Hutt might sneeze up and leave sitting in the basement too long. But there was something else that made the hairs on the back of Han's neck stand on end.

He leaned over the railing, peering down into the blackness. "Leia?" he shouted, with no response. Frowning, Han continued down another couple flights.

She was on a landing a few flights below him, slumped in the corner, eyes closed, face pale. Han knelt and felt her wrist. Her skin was cold and clammy to the touch, but her pulse was racing.

"Princess?" he said, giving her shoulder a little shake. "Leia. Hey, come on, it's me…"

But Leia didn't move. Han cast a wary glance down the stairs, then scooped her into his arms and hurried back up to the others.

* * *

><p>Leia was starting to think that she recognized the sounds and smells of the hospital on Coruscant a little too well. Somehow training with her brother - whether it was him attempting to show her the basics of the Force, or her sharing a bit of her royal self-defense - had resulted in more than a few scrapes and bruises, and even one concussion that she still insisted wasn't her fault. The upside was that as she slowly regained consciousness to that clean, open scent, and the soft murmur of machinery and the soothing voices of medical droids, Leia knew exactly where she was.<p>

She turned her head and eased her eyes open to see light pouring in through the window at the end of the long ward.

"Oh, mistress Leia!" C-3P0's anxious voice cut through the otherwise soothing atmosphere. "It is good to finally see you awake! How are you feeling?"

Leia turned towards the droid with a light smile. "Fine, actually. How long have we been back?"

"Only two hours."

"Leia!" Han appeared suddenly, pushing Threepio out of the way to lean over and press a kiss to Leia's forehead. "What happened to you?"

"I…" Leia frowned and brought her hand to her forehead. Like a bad dream, all that remained was the vague sense that _something_ bad had happened. She sighed and shook her head. "I don't know."

Han sank into the chair beside her bed. "What do you remember?"

"Going down the stairs and then…" Leia shrugged. "It doesn't matter, really, probably."

"We brought Shaduk back with us," Han said. "He hasn't been saying anything though."

"What about the negotiations with the Ayl'xasians? What did you tell them?"

"Well, they seemed strangely understanding when we said you'd taken ill."

"I'm fine." Leia sat up and scowled when she noticed the IV in her arm. She waved her other hand to motion one of the medical droids over. "When can we go back to Xas?"

Han helped her to sit up, then moved out of the way to let the droid in to remove the medication drip. "Luke stayed to finish up, actually. And to see what he could find out about Shaduk."

Leia got slowly to her feet and sighed. "This would be what we get for trying to help people…"

* * *

><p>A late dinner followed a council meeting that lasted nearly all day long, and finally Han and Leia were able to part with the crowd and make their way back towards the private quarters. Even as she walked, Leia still had a data pad out, tapping away at it. "Luke should return tomorrow, he'll have the details of the treaty with the Ayl'xasians, there might be more interest when we actually have something to show…"<p>

Han nodded, though by now he was way too tired to think about treaties and agreements. Out of habit he walked with Leia all the way to the sitting area of her quarters.

"My hands are shaking," she said, blinking down at her fingers.

"You need to get some sleep," Han said. He tugged the data pad out of her hands and set it aside, then pulled her close. He often forgot just how small she actually was, what with the way she could terrify the living daylights out of just about anyone on the council floor. But now she seemed to shrink as she buried her face in his chest. Han tightened his arms around her. "Do you want me to…?"

"Yes, but…" Leia hesitated, then stood on her tip-toes to kiss his cheek. "We shouldn't. We both need some sleep and it's just - not tonight."

Han raised his eyebrows and flicked an errant strand of hair out of her face. "Your loss."

Leia smiled, folding the datapad to her chest as she turned towards her bedroom. "Goodnight, Han."

"Sweet dreams, princess." Han watched the door slide closed behind her. He let out a sigh and scratched the back of his head, wondering for the millionth time what exactly he was getting himself into.

* * *

><p>She was able to sleep for several hours undisturbed. When Leia finally did wake, a quick glance at the chrono told her it was very late - or very early, depending on how you looked at it. She lay staring at the ceiling for a few minutes, wishing she hadn't sent Han away, before she sat up and drew her knees to her chest. The familiar night time sounds of Coruscant came in the window. For a moment she thought Luke might have woken her, but she remembered that he would still be on his way back from Xas.<p>

Sighing, she stood and dressed in soft leggings and a long, loose tunic before heading out into the sitting area and then the hall. If it was one thing she didn't like about her quarters it was the combination of lack of any sort of food preparation area and the distance from the kitchens.

A short while later, Leia stepped out onto one of the large balconies with a steaming mug of tea in hand. She had fully expected to be alone, and was surprised to find one of the younger councilors, Meius R'dace, standing near the railing, the slight, warm breeze ruffling his pajamas.

"Councilor R'dace," Leia said curiously, moving to stand beside the young man. He was recently recruited from a peaceful forest planet that was the center of certain trade lines, and Leia knew R'dace to be a generally friendly and cheerful person. But now his body language was entirely different, stiff, almost hostile.

R'dace kept his face turned away from her, however. "I thought it was a light," he whispered. "That's all. Gods, I thought it was a light."

Leia frowned, turning to look the way he was facing, out across the city. She could see many lights, as always, shining gently through the night. The hollowness in R'dace's words, strange as they were, made her shiver and grip her mug tighter. "I'm sorry, what?"

"The dark was suffocating me," he choked out, stepping back and turning to face Leia. His eyes were closed, head lolling a bit to the side.

Leia frowned in confusion. "Meius?" she tried, reaching out for his arm. "Are you - "

He lunged forward and grabbed her, so abruptly that the mug fell and shattered on the floor. "Why didn't you tell me?" he howled furiously. "Why didn't you tell me what it was?"

"Councilor!" Leia grunted. She grabbed at his hand, bending his little finger at a sharp angle to make him release her, then twisted his arm round behind his back. Feeling at her pocket, she was relieved to find a small communicator there. "This is Councilor Organa, I need security and a med team on the fourth floor balcony! Repeat, I need security and - "

R'dace elbowed her in the stomach and Leia doubled over, gasping. R'dace turned still closed eyes skyward. "Oh...I want to get out of here!"

"You're asleep, Meius, wake up!" Leia said, rubbing her side as she straightened.

Slowly he opened his eyes and Leia felt relief wash through her, until he pulled the small sonic blaster out of his robes. "Don't run," he whispered. "It doesn't help." He pressed the blaster to the underside of his chin.

"No!" Leia shouted, jumping forward and making a grab for the weapon.

The scream of the sonic pulse tore the night, along with the sickening crunch of bone. Concentrated-beam sonic blasters were some of the messiest weapons out there, and Leia squeezed her eyes shut as she felt warm droplets hit her face and arms. She stumbled backwards, just as she heard the security guards and medical team come running out onto the balcony.

"Councilor Organa!" One of the security guards caught her and looked at her with a wide-eyed expression. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"I…" Leia's head was spinning. She wiped her hand over her face, and looked down at her fingers, her stomach churning. "No, I'm...it's his blood, not mine."

The medical techs were bending over the body of Meius R'dace, but they would already know there was nothing they could do. They somehow managed to get the body onto a stretcher and covered with a cloth, quickly rushing it back inside while one of the security guards took Leia by the arm and steered her back in.

"I'm fine," she murmured, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

"Ma'am…"

Leia peered at him. He was one of the guards regularly assigned to her security detail when she needed one. When his name came to mind, she managed a light, diplomatic smile. "Banes, really, I'll be alright. You may go back to your quarters now."

Banes looked hesitant. Maybe she looked worse than she felt.

"Really, I just…" Leia looked at her hands again. "I really just want to get back to my rooms and shower."

"Will you let me accompany you back to your floor, at least?"

"Very well." she resigned, and motioned for him to follow her. "I'm going to want any security feeds of R'dace before I met him on the balcony," she said after a moment. "Something wasn't right."

Banes nodded. "Of course. I saw him earlier today, you know. He was down interviewing that man you all brought in from Xas."

Leia stopped and stared at him. "What? Who authorized that?"

"I don't know, I'm sorry," Banes said.

"Of course not," Leia sighed and shook her head. "Just have those video files sent to me as soon as you can."

Alone in her rooms, without even realizing it Leia switched on every light. She went into the bathroom and filled the sink with warm water, then finally let herself release the choked sob that she'd been holding back. She pulled off the tunic and leggings, flinging them into a corner of the room, and washed the blood off her hands and face.

She leaned against the cool metal edge of the sink, her eyes closed. After a moment, another presence nudged at the back of her mind. Leia relaxed. _Luke?_

And just as quickly the presence was gone, leaving behind an empty sort of feeling. Leia walked back into her bedroom to check the time, but she didn't need the still early hour to tell her there was no way that touch could have been her brother.

* * *

><p>Luke returned the following morning to find everyone buzzing with the news of Meius R'dace's strange death the night before. The minute someone mentioned that Leia had been present, he hurried up to his sister's apartments, despite Mon Mothma's message that she wished to speak with him.<p>

"I'm fine," Leia said as she motioned for Luke to join her, Han and Chewbacca at the breakfast table.

"What happened?" Luke didn't buy her attempts to sound reassuring one bit. He frowned at her, trying to decide if this was one of those times she put on a brave face for Han's sake, or if she really just didn't want to talk about it. She was good at hiding her feelings. And even Luke had to admit that in the sunny sitting area of her apartment, with the gauzy white drapes blowing lightly in the breeze, it was hard to think about anything as horrible as R'dice's death, or Shaduk's strange stairwell. And speaking of which…

"Leia thinks it has something to do with that Shaduk character," Han said gruffly, shooting a narrow-eyed look at Leia.

Leia kept her eyes on the bowl of sliced fruit in front of her, calmly poking at it with a fork. After several seconds of both men staring at her expectantly she said, "I'm going to speak with him."

"I'm coming with!" Luke and Han said simultaneously. Chewie let out a worried _growwfff_.

"Han will come with," Leia said. She looked at Luke. "I don't want…"

He nodded, getting the gist of it even as her words trailed off. She didn't want him exposed to whatever it was Shaduk did to people. As inexplicable as it was, he had clearly done something to her, and had done something - something terrible - to R'dace. And the sooner they got to the bottom of it, the better.


End file.
